Farmer’s Korner escapes catastrophe

Monday, February 20, 2006 - Breckenridge, CO

You could call Donald Martin a hero. Or, just very lucky to be alive. Donald, who is the manager of Farmer’s Korner gas station, called 911 this morning after smelling what he knew was natural gas. After working at the gas station for a number of years, Donald is able to distinguish the smell of natural gas from that of propane, since Amerigas propane company’s filling station is located next door.

Firefighters from Red, White & Blue Fire District responded to the gas smell. At first, they thought it was a "routine" gas smell call until Lt. Kris Lasswell talked with Donald Martin. "This time it was different," said Lt. Lasswell. After talking with Mr. Martin, we investigated the area and also smelled natural gas," he said.

Lt. Lasswell contacted Xcel Energy to respond to the scene. When Xcel Energy arrived to help with the investigation, a gas meter located behind Altitude Motor Sports, adjacent to Farmer’s Korner gas station, was found covered in ice. Firefighters found that even though there was a small roof structure protecting the meter, melting snow from the roof had encased the meter with ice. When firefighters uncovered the meter, they found an active leak where the 2" pipe had sheared through from the tension of the ice. Uncannily similar to last week’s house explosion in Blue River, Altitude Motor Sports was closed, as it is every Monday. Further investigation found that the building was full of natural gas from the leak.

"We narrowly averted what could have been a major disaster," said Battalion Chief Mike Rutherford. "Very luckily for everyone, Donald Martin acted upon what he knew and changed a potentially disastrous outcome," he said. As Xcel Energy shut off the gas leak, firefighters ventilated the building to remove the gas.

Red, White & Blue Fire responded to an explosion at an unoccupied house last Wednesday, February 15. That explosion was caused by a sheared pipe going into the house from a propane tank. Investigators believed it was either from ice and snow falling off of the house onto the pipe, or from the weather extremes of warm and cold temperatures.

A gas station as well as Amerigas propane company is adjacent to Altitude Motor Sports, located at Farmer’s Korner. Summit High School is a quarter mile from the site. "I am amazed at the luck we had and proud of Mr. Martin and the firefighters of Red, White & Blue," said BC Rutherford. "I am convinced we would have had another explosion and with all of the activity in the area, I don’t know how we could have avoided anyone getting hurt, "he said.

Red, White & Blue strongly urges each citizen to get outside and check your meter, clear off snow and ice from around your regulator and your propane tank, and please call your local fire department or Xcel Energy if you have any questions. Call 911 if you smell anything unusual.

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Press Contact:
Capt. Kim Scott, PIO
cell: 970.485.4374
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